Cardiff School of History, Archaeology and Religion

Cardiff University Conservation student Sara Brown is announced today as a winner of the prestigious Zibby Garnett Travelling Fellowships [ZGTF] awards.

The grants totalling £12,200 have been awarded for overseas study trips to nine outstanding conservation students across the UK. The ZGTF Scholars will be working in many countries across the globe including Brazil, India and for the first time the Sudan and Russia, contributing to the conservation of a broad range of internationally significant artefacts and sites. Sara Brown (Cardiff University) is set to work on archaeological artefact conservation with the American School of Classical Studies, at the Agora Excavations, Athens Greece.

Sara said:

"Working at the Agora provides me with a fantastic opportunity to get too know a wide variety of working professionals and expand my links to conservators all over the world. The placement affords the opportunity to work on freshly excavated material including archaeological metals, ceramics and glass. Not only will I gain invaluable practical skills but the 'environmentally friendly' approach taken towards treatment within the laboratory at the Agora lends itself to the development of innovative practices within conservation. I look forward to being able to take this skills with me into my future career."

Jane Henderson, Senior Lecturer in the Deparment of Archaeology and Conservation SHARE said:

"It is fantastic that the Zibby Garnett travelling fellowship has given a Cardiff student the chance to put their learning from the conservation degree into practice in such an important project as the Agora in Athens."

The students will be learning to conserve temple wall painting, archaeological artefact, sculpture and textile - working with leading conservation organisations including Pinacotea do Estado de São Paulo, the Tibet Heritage Fund and the St Petersburg State Academic Institute of Paintings.

David Garnett, ZGTF Chairman, says “The standard of applicants this year was outstanding and in order to be able to support the very best, some very good students were sadly turned down with funds simply not being able to cover all.” Background

The Zibby Garnett Travelling Fellowship is an educational charity set up to fund overseas study trips for art conservation students who are training in the United Kingdom and wish to widen their practical skills. Since the Fellowship was founded in 2000, it has enabled over 92 students to visit more than 36 countries. Many ZGTF Scholars have gone on to secure positions in art conservation with leading organisations both in Britain and abroad. For more information see www.ZibbyGarnett.org